WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to strike down the Biden administration’s rule endangering the safety and wellbeing of unaccompanied migrant children:

“The Biden administration’s willful neglect of tens of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children is unacceptable,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This shameless rule doubles down on the White House’s lack of concern for these innocent children, many of whom are placed with sponsors never to be heard from again, and it must be struck down.”

“The Biden administration ignored warnings from Congress and the Inspector General that its policies put children at risk and instead moved to finalize its current rule,” said Sen. Grassley. “Biden’s Health and Human Services Department has lost tens of thousands of vulnerable kids and handed over many others to abusers and criminals. This exploitation is one of the most heartbreaking tragedies the Biden Border Crisis has created. Since the Biden administration has refused to lift a finger to fix this problem, it’s now up to Congress to put a stop to it.”

The resolution is cosponsored by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Braun (R-IN), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT.), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Cindy Hyde-Smith, (R-MS), John Kennedy (R-LA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Thom Tillis (R-NC), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Todd Young (R-IN), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Hoeven (R-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Katie Britt (R-AL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Thune (R-SD), John Boozman (R-AR), and Tim Scott (R-SC).

Background:

The resolution would overturn a U.S. Department of Housing and Human Services (HHS) rule that was finalized in April 2024 and codifies harmful practices, including:

• Neglectful or optional sponsor vetting;
• Refusal to consider a sponsor’s criminal record, including illegal drug use, history of abuse or neglect, or other necessarily disqualifying child welfare concerns;  
• Refusal to share a sponsor’s immigration status with law enforcement; 
• Weak standards for post-release home studies to determine a child’s status or safety once in the custody of a sponsor;
• And restrictions on whistleblowers’ rights to disclose to Congress and the HHS Inspector General (IG) information on wrongdoing and misconduct in the program.